NHLA was officially notified on December 18, 2018, that the rules for shipping Ash lumber originating from Canada and the United States has changed.
The only approved option for exporting Ash lumber to the EU is the NHLA KD Certificate Program as proof of treatment to obtain a Phyto-Sanitary Certificate.
As announced by USDA-APHIS, “Shipments of Ash lumber certified under the 2.5 cm beneath the bark lumber will be allowed a grace period for the wood already in route. The last date such a shipment can arrive and gain entry into the EU is February 10, 2019, which should cover any shipments in route, even with delays. The 2.5 cm option for new shipments cannot be used.”
All Ash originating from Canada or the United States and traveling to the European Union must be in the “systems approach.”The “systems approach” is defined below.
Shipments must have a PHYTO with the accompanying NHLA KD Certificate with clip id numbers. The shipments must also meet all of the following requirements:
- 10% or less in MC
- Dry bulb temperature must reach 160 degrees F for 20 hours minimum.
- Lumber must be debarked, small residual pieces less than the size of a credit card are acceptable.
- Lumber drying time of 14 days, this includes air drying time.
- Lumber must be stenciled with KD – HT on both ends of the packs. (bottom right corner)
- Treatment duration, dry and wet bulb temperatures and final moisture contents will be
- recorded for each specific lot and maintained for a minimum of 3 years.
Questions about exporting Ash to the EU or questions about enrollment in the NHLA KD Certification Program? Contact Dana Spessert, NHLA Chief Inspector at d.spessert@nhla.com or call 901-399-7551.